Beauty & The Geek [jongkey, onkey, 2min] [7/11]
Title: Beauty & The Geek
Pairing: Jongkey, Onkey, 2min
Genre: AU, Romance, Drama, Angst
Rating: PG-15 [Language, Sexual Situations, Drug Abuse, Mentions of Suicide]
Word Count: 3,432
Disclaimer(s): I own nothing.
Summary: Office romances never come without drama.
A/N: Warning for slut!Key.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six
Beauty & The Geek : Chapter Seven
Sober | The Hill | Grenade | Gravity
Steam rises in heady trails to the white tiled ceiling. Water streaming from the shower head, despite it's high temperature, only serves to cool the two men off as the taller pulls away. Taemin's back slides down the ceramic styled wall, legs wobbling, barely managing to hold his weight. After catching his breath, his boyfriend aids in supporting his thin frame until he's recovered, strong arms entwining his body in a firm, yet gentle, hold.
“Mm, babe, you can't do this to me so early in the morning,” Taemin finally manages to get out, lips caressing the slick skin covering Minho's collar bone.
Chest vibrating in chortles, Minho begins to press butterfly kisses along his face. “You shouldn't look so irresistible in the morning than.”
Taemin scoffs. “Sure, if that's what you want to call coffee breath and bed head.”
“Now you're starting to see it my way,” Minho says as his hands begin to roam from their supporting hold on Taemin's back to lower, more sensitive regions.
Laughing, but with a hint of exasperation, Taemin pushes Minho away. “No. Take your shower, we have work.”
With a groan, Minho allows Taemin to step out of the shower, although his gaze hovers over the smaller man's lower half. Once his boyfriend is out of sight, towel slung around his waist while meandering out into the open apartment, he turns the shower nob to it's coldest setting.
The twenty three year old bobs his head, newly dyed blond bouncing effortlessly, to a shapeless tune. Taemin finds a therapeutic comfort in the way the soft strands of carpet squish and form to the shape of his toes. Smiling softly, Taemin forgoes stopping at his walk in closet to gather up the mail sitting just in front of the door. Scooping it up, he sifts through it while entering the kitchen and starting up the coffee maker.
Junk mail, junk mail, junk mail … Taemin doesn't slow his sorting until he comes across a bill. Assuming it to be the utility bill, it's about that time, he sticks his thumb under the flap of the envelope and tears it open. He frowns when he unravels the letter, finding it to be from a credit agency.
“Minho?” Taemin calls, looking up from the office paper, eyebrows furrowed.
Appearing at the doorway, shirt in hand and socks halfway on, Minho speaks around his toothbrush. “What is it, babe?”
Taemin holds up the bill. “What's this?”
Freezing, Taemin can practically see the gears churning in Minho's mind as he tries to think up a way to excuse the bill. Breaking into a forced grin, he combs a hand through his tasseled ebony locks. “It's nothing to worry about - “
“Don't treat me like a child,” Taemin snaps, tossing the stack of letters onto the counter. All of the scrambling around in his office at godforsaken hours, all of the late night calls he refused to explain - Minho had done a great deal to hide this from him. “I'm going to get dressed.”
Minho reaches for his arm when he passes by, but Taemin quickly evades it. He can feel the hurt expression following his retreating back, but he's too worked up to care.
“Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, but really, why didn't you tell me sooner?”
Jinki melts into the undeniably comfortable black salon chair as his sister works behind him. He decided to come visit Sunny on a whim, anything to get out of his apartment. He had promised himself not to bring up the whole situation with Kibum, but it's hard to avoid a subject that's shoved down his throat. As soon as he walked in the doors, Sunny was all over him, asking him every question under the sun about his “beau.”
He had no choice but to explain what had occurred three weeks ago, about how they just stopped seeing each other. Their whole relationship was a mess of awkward and uncomfortable encounters ever since the ball - of course, not that Kibum had uttered so much as a word in his direction. Kibum and Jonghyun's 'meetings' started up once more and that was the end of that fun little stint for Jinki.
“It's not really my favorite topic,” Jinki says through a wince.
With a sigh, Sunny relents, “I suppose it wouldn't be. But bro, how can you let someone else take your guy from you?”
“What other choice do I have?”
Sunny frowns at him and takes some of the dye mixture from it's bowl to flick at him. “Stop being such a wussy - you have to fight for what you want, things don't always fall into your lap for you, y'know.”
Jinki opens his mouth to protest, but is quickly silenced by a bop to the head. “You're such a violent girl! Where did mom and dad go wrong with you?”
Despite their bantering, Jinki can't shake his sister's words even as he leaves her shop to scurry off to work. Is he really being a 'wuss' for letting Jonghyun win like this?
Jinki wants to knock his head into the side of the train as jumps off at his platform.
Who does he think he is? Jonghyun is only taking back what is rightfully his. To Kibum, all Jinki was useful for was getting back at Jonghyun - he was nothing more than a device of Kibum's to enrage the other man, nothing more. The whole company had known it, Kikwang said so himself, Jinki had just been too stupid, too stubborn, to admit that Kibum could truly be that cruel.
And this is where it landed him.
Despite how obvious it was that him and Kibum would never last, he still finds himself moping around. Jinki heaves a heavy sigh while dragging his feet through the office doors. His life has been nothing but his apartment walls and the blaring reflection of the computer screen at the office in which has become his personal hell.
He hates to admit it, but his life is monotonous yet again.
Aside from the occasional whisper behind his back between fellow employees about his and Kibum's relationship, or lack there of, there's nothing but endless piles of paperwork.
Jinki collapses into his chair when he finally reaches his desk, running a hand over his face in an attempt to scrub away his distress.
“Hey Jinki,” Taemin sing songs, popping up in the man's work space with a child like grin.
Remaining unfazed, his normal reactions suppressed by his depression, Jinki barely lifts his eyes from the floor to register Taemin's presence. Crossing his arms and then resting his chin on top of them, Jinki leans on to his desk in a slump. The blond hovering above him frowns.
“C'mon, Jinki, don't be like this,” he chides, shaking the man's shoulder softly, “It's killing me, and everyone else, to see you like this.”
“Ermph.”
Chuckling into the back of his hand, Taemin peers down at Jinki curiously. “What was that?”
“I said I deserve it,” Jinki mumbles, only slightly clearer this time.
Taemin kneels down so that he can place comforting hands on Jinki's arm. “What do you mean?”
Jinki groans. “I deserve this. I'm so idiotic, the epitome of stupidity. My father must be turning over in his grave right now, he's so disappointed in my lack of any sense whatsoever.”
“Ermph” meant all of that? It must be a mess in Jinki's mind. Rocking on the balls of his feet, Taemin attempts to raise Jinki's spirits. “You'll be glad to know, Kibum is off on vacation in America!”
Jerking up right, Jinki looks down at Taemin, eyes hued red from lack of sleep. “Really?”
“Um, yeah.” Taemin raises an eyebrow, why does Jinki look disappointed by the news? Shouldn't he be excited to have some time off from the stifling tension being anywhere close to their boss caused? “You aren't … happy?”
Small pout remaining in place in his loquacious eyes, Jinki pushes the corner of his lips up in a sad try at a smile. “Of course I am. I mean, why wouldn't I?” He laughs awkwardly to himself before patting Taemin's hand. “Don't worry about me, Tae.”
“Who else will?” Taemin retorts while pushing back to his feet. “That's it, there's no argument - you are coming to the apartment and I'm going to make you the most delicious, heart warming dinner ever, you won't even have room to think about unfaithful pretty boys.”
Jinki blinks, speechless. There really is no room for disagreement with the doe eyed man. Taemin pats him on the head with a chirp of “Good” before skipping back to his desk, which Jinki is surprised to find unoccupied. Normally Minho thinks up the wildest excuses to have reason to hang around his boyfriend's desk.
But he can't focus on his friend's relationship issues, because his mind is on milky, warm skin soaking in a tropical sun while an ocean breeze drifts by.
“So after he tries to grab my ass I tell him, 'Look, if you come near me again I'll charge you for rape' and he says 'You can't rape the willing.' Like, what the hell? Why do American guys think they're so damn fine?”
The cool, crystal clear water laps at the white sand of the shore as a Hawaiian sun beats down on the trio spread out on the private piece of beach. Kibum ignores whatever it is Krystal is going on about, too focused on the wisps of air licking at his body, chilling him just enough to handle the intensity of the sun's rays on his skin as he lies, shirtless, tanning.
From beside him, about ready to fall out of her little string bikini, Sulli applies more sun block as to not have her snowy complexion ruined. “Aren't they? They think they can get any Asian girl they want - but their dicks aren't even that big.”
Krystal reaches across Kibum to slap Sulli's arm. “You are such a slut!”
“Yeah, and so are you,” Sulli retorts, tongue poking out of the side of her perfectly glossed lips, “You better respect your host. If it weren't for me your little ass would be stuck in a hotel with all of those horny guys.”
The two continue to bicker back and forth but it's lost to the brunette between them. Behind tinted glasses, Kibum's eyes are shut tight. His mind is on a bedroom in Seoul, where Jonghyun is no doubt spending his night with Kikwang. The receptionist had assured Kibum that he would look after Jonghyun in his absence - Kibum knew what looking after would consist of. So why wasn't he bothered? He could care less that Jonghyun was fucking Kikwang, all he did care about was if he would be able to keep it together while he was gone - if he would come back to a whole Jonghyun, not a shattered and torn skeleton of who the man had once been.
His vacation continued to be plagued with thoughts of the man, but his dreams were sprinkled with that of a different smile; fuller, with more expression laid out for the world to admire. Jinki. After everything Kibum had done to Jinki, he still had the nerve to dream about him.
“Oh wow, Sulli, Kibum hasn't bitched us out once,” Krystal says, pushing her way through his thoughts, “Something's really wrong.”
Sulli sits up on her elbows, peering over her sunglasses at the man beside her. “Are you really still on that guy of yours?”
Kibum keeps his eyes shut, but his lips tug downward long enough for the girls to catch the frown.
“Oh god, Kibum,” Sulli whines out his name, “You're so dramatic! Krystal, you know what this means.”
Cracking open an eye wide enough to catch the knowing smiles between the two, a shiver crawls up Kibum's spine, foreboding. This is not going to end well, anything involving Sulli and Krystal didn't end well.
The town is alight with the flicker of flames from torches to fit in with the islander décor. Even the sidewalks downtown are bamboo planks and the buildings have hut like facades. Kibum eyes the layout, like a classy tourist trap for the rich. He can't complain, as the atmosphere allows for bare feet, but he's also anxious stepping into the club - who knows whats on the floor in there. When they do enter the hub of activity that is the most high class club in the town, all eyes are on them. Kibum knows it's because of the two gorgeous, stunning girls at either of his arms.
Sulli holds an exotic beauty with a gradient purple flower tucked behind her ear, the stem weaved naturally into her soft braid tossed over her shoulder. An breath taking mesh of vivid, tropical colors and designs are on the silk sarong wrapped low on her hip and a white cotton halter top to match. Dressed similarly, only in darker, richer colors, Krystal holds a seductive air that is only emphasized by her temptress gaze.
The crowd parts to allow them access to the bar right away. Kibum can't even count the number of men, and even some women, eying Krystal and Sulli.
Two hours later and the number of hopefuls have doubled - or is that just his vision? Kibum has lost track of just how many drinks he's downed, but he isn't the least bit concerned. All of the normal tension coiled in his lithe frame have dissipated. His sharp eyes drift away from the questionable drink in front of him to a figure a few feet away. The man looks to be a local, sun kissed skin bared as he walks around shirtless, body toned in ways only hard work or an vast expanse of spare time allows for. What's most notable to Kibum are the alluring black eyes, round and affable behind stylish thin, black rimmed glasses.
Glasses.
With his styled hair and slightly boyish facial features, Kibum wonders if he's looking at a phantasm or a real man. So strikingly alike to someone else … Kibum sets his mind, despite how unsteadily due to his alcohol consumption, to getting this man.
And what Kim Kibum wants, he gets.
Dark wood flooring and soft, white carpeting and the wafting smell of home cooking from the open kitchen creates a cozy atmosphere. Toeing off his shoes at the door, the tension in Jinki's shoulder immediately eases as he takes in the warm apartment, a stark contrast to his own cold, lonely home.
“Sorry, he got so wrapped up in his music that he forgot to cook,” Minho explains while leading Jinki to the sitting room, “Dinner should be done in not too long.”
Gaze falling to the glass doors on the opposite wall, that in the summertime would lead to an open, airy balcony, but now just served as a window to the winter wonderland outside. Large flakes of snow fell on the city, blanketing it, and causing the inside of any home to feel just that much warmer when a significant other would curl up beside - well, not beside Jinki.
He shakes himself from his self centered, angsting thoughts, sick of himself. Just as he does, Jinki catches the desperate eyes Minho sends towards the kitchen.
“Minho?”
Brows furrowed, Minho strains to pull his attention away from the slim man with his back turned towards him to the face of his troubled friend.
“Not that it's any of my business,” Jinki starts, eyes darting between Minho and Taemin, “But is something going on between you two?”
Leaning back on the plush cushions of his seat, Minho brings up a hand to massage his temples. “He found out about the money issue.”
Jinki's lips form a small 'o' in understanding.
There's no time for a more in depth explanation. Taemin bustles into the sitting room to announce that dinner is nearly ready so they'd better set the table. Jinki does notice that the blond keeps his focus completely on him, ignoring Minho all together.
When they sit down and begin digging in to the meal, Jinki wishes for the return of the serene atmosphere from before. Waves of hostility are rolling off of Taemin like a typhoon as he passes the dishes along to Jinki only. Jinki's gaze shifts from him to the tall man across the table, where Minho looks like a kicked puppy.
“So,” Taemin cuts through the silence brightly, “Did you know about it, Jinki?”
Jinki nearly chokes on his mouthful of kimchi. Coughing and forcefully swallowing, Jinki blinks at the innocent faced man. “Know about what?”
“The huge debt Minho was hiding from me.”
“Taemin! Not now, please.”
“Oh, I'm sorry - children are meant to be seen, not heard, right?”
“Tae - “
“No! I won't be quiet! I'm tired of you treating me like a child - have you forgotten everything we've been through together? What we've done for each other? I think it took more than a child to face my parents, to tell them I had a boyfriend even though I knew they would kick me out for it.”
The two men stare each other down while Jinki ponders the possibility of sinking through the floorboards. Taemin's mouth is set in a straight line as he glares at his boyfriend, refusing to give in to the large, pleading eyes boring in to him.
“I didn't hide it from you because I thought you were a child,” Minho says softly.
Taemin's gaze narrows. “Than why did you?”
“Because, Tae, I love you. I want to give you the world, but I forgot I have limitations. I didn't want you to find out I had made a mistake like that.”
Those words are all Taemin needed. His icy expression melts into a stunning smile. “Really?”
Minho reaches across the table to take Taemin's hand in his own. “Yes, really.”
Jinki wonders if they have completely forgotten about him, but Minho quickly sits back in his chair and clears hi throat before muttering an apology in his direction. Jinki can't help but laugh as a blush settles over the couples faces after the grand display. It doesn't ring with his familiar lilt, falling flat and lifeless on the dark stained table.
Jinki resists the urge to sigh.
Only the glow of the television lights the extravagant bed room, casting eery shadows as the evening news hums. beneath a sea of silk sheets and down filled comforters at the center of the room, four post bed situated on a raised platform, Kikwang burrows in to the warm mass of covers. Needy hands tug at him, but he simply swats them away.
“Why are you being such a prick?” Jonghyun grumbles, finally scooting over to his own side of the bed in defeat.
Kikwang frowns into the darkness. “I'm just … thinking.”
“Oh god, not again. Last time you were 'thinking' your grandmother ended up at your apartment. Who do you want to take in this time?”
Blinking, Kikwang turns towards the source of the words. “Wait, you remember that?” Jonghyun rolls his eyes at him in a 'duh' manner. “Jonghyun, don't you ever … well, consider … us?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” The man asks tiredly, rubbing at his eyes.
“You and me, we could be something.”
“Something?”
“I mean, something more than … this.”
Curling his arm under his pillow and flopping onto his other side, Jonghyun averts his attention to the flat screen mounted on the wall. “Just go to sleep, Kikwang.”
“Jjong - “
In a flurry of motion, Jonghyun is out of the bed and in his robe. Hard eyes don't even bother to look at Kikwang as Jonghyun disappears into his adjoining study, slamming the door shut behind him. Kikwang sinks into the mattress and curls in to himself, seeking any sort of comfort to stop the gaping hole in his chest from ripping open any wider.
Previous | Next
A/N:
/bows I'm very sorry for keeping my readers waiting - here's what you get, only partcially editted. Please let me know of any mistakes! I just want to get this out for all of you now.
Thank you. <3
Picture credit to ricky49 @ deviatart.com.
Pairing: Jongkey, Onkey, 2min
Genre: AU, Romance, Drama, Angst
Rating: PG-15 [Language, Sexual Situations, Drug Abuse, Mentions of Suicide]
Word Count: 3,432
Disclaimer(s): I own nothing.
Summary: Office romances never come without drama.
A/N: Warning for slut!Key.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six
Beauty & The Geek : Chapter Seven
Sober | The Hill | Grenade | Gravity
Steam rises in heady trails to the white tiled ceiling. Water streaming from the shower head, despite it's high temperature, only serves to cool the two men off as the taller pulls away. Taemin's back slides down the ceramic styled wall, legs wobbling, barely managing to hold his weight. After catching his breath, his boyfriend aids in supporting his thin frame until he's recovered, strong arms entwining his body in a firm, yet gentle, hold.
“Mm, babe, you can't do this to me so early in the morning,” Taemin finally manages to get out, lips caressing the slick skin covering Minho's collar bone.
Chest vibrating in chortles, Minho begins to press butterfly kisses along his face. “You shouldn't look so irresistible in the morning than.”
Taemin scoffs. “Sure, if that's what you want to call coffee breath and bed head.”
“Now you're starting to see it my way,” Minho says as his hands begin to roam from their supporting hold on Taemin's back to lower, more sensitive regions.
Laughing, but with a hint of exasperation, Taemin pushes Minho away. “No. Take your shower, we have work.”
With a groan, Minho allows Taemin to step out of the shower, although his gaze hovers over the smaller man's lower half. Once his boyfriend is out of sight, towel slung around his waist while meandering out into the open apartment, he turns the shower nob to it's coldest setting.
The twenty three year old bobs his head, newly dyed blond bouncing effortlessly, to a shapeless tune. Taemin finds a therapeutic comfort in the way the soft strands of carpet squish and form to the shape of his toes. Smiling softly, Taemin forgoes stopping at his walk in closet to gather up the mail sitting just in front of the door. Scooping it up, he sifts through it while entering the kitchen and starting up the coffee maker.
Junk mail, junk mail, junk mail … Taemin doesn't slow his sorting until he comes across a bill. Assuming it to be the utility bill, it's about that time, he sticks his thumb under the flap of the envelope and tears it open. He frowns when he unravels the letter, finding it to be from a credit agency.
“Minho?” Taemin calls, looking up from the office paper, eyebrows furrowed.
Appearing at the doorway, shirt in hand and socks halfway on, Minho speaks around his toothbrush. “What is it, babe?”
Taemin holds up the bill. “What's this?”
Freezing, Taemin can practically see the gears churning in Minho's mind as he tries to think up a way to excuse the bill. Breaking into a forced grin, he combs a hand through his tasseled ebony locks. “It's nothing to worry about - “
“Don't treat me like a child,” Taemin snaps, tossing the stack of letters onto the counter. All of the scrambling around in his office at godforsaken hours, all of the late night calls he refused to explain - Minho had done a great deal to hide this from him. “I'm going to get dressed.”
Minho reaches for his arm when he passes by, but Taemin quickly evades it. He can feel the hurt expression following his retreating back, but he's too worked up to care.
“Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, but really, why didn't you tell me sooner?”
Jinki melts into the undeniably comfortable black salon chair as his sister works behind him. He decided to come visit Sunny on a whim, anything to get out of his apartment. He had promised himself not to bring up the whole situation with Kibum, but it's hard to avoid a subject that's shoved down his throat. As soon as he walked in the doors, Sunny was all over him, asking him every question under the sun about his “beau.”
He had no choice but to explain what had occurred three weeks ago, about how they just stopped seeing each other. Their whole relationship was a mess of awkward and uncomfortable encounters ever since the ball - of course, not that Kibum had uttered so much as a word in his direction. Kibum and Jonghyun's 'meetings' started up once more and that was the end of that fun little stint for Jinki.
“It's not really my favorite topic,” Jinki says through a wince.
With a sigh, Sunny relents, “I suppose it wouldn't be. But bro, how can you let someone else take your guy from you?”
“What other choice do I have?”
Sunny frowns at him and takes some of the dye mixture from it's bowl to flick at him. “Stop being such a wussy - you have to fight for what you want, things don't always fall into your lap for you, y'know.”
Jinki opens his mouth to protest, but is quickly silenced by a bop to the head. “You're such a violent girl! Where did mom and dad go wrong with you?”
Despite their bantering, Jinki can't shake his sister's words even as he leaves her shop to scurry off to work. Is he really being a 'wuss' for letting Jonghyun win like this?
Jinki wants to knock his head into the side of the train as jumps off at his platform.
Who does he think he is? Jonghyun is only taking back what is rightfully his. To Kibum, all Jinki was useful for was getting back at Jonghyun - he was nothing more than a device of Kibum's to enrage the other man, nothing more. The whole company had known it, Kikwang said so himself, Jinki had just been too stupid, too stubborn, to admit that Kibum could truly be that cruel.
And this is where it landed him.
Despite how obvious it was that him and Kibum would never last, he still finds himself moping around. Jinki heaves a heavy sigh while dragging his feet through the office doors. His life has been nothing but his apartment walls and the blaring reflection of the computer screen at the office in which has become his personal hell.
He hates to admit it, but his life is monotonous yet again.
Aside from the occasional whisper behind his back between fellow employees about his and Kibum's relationship, or lack there of, there's nothing but endless piles of paperwork.
Jinki collapses into his chair when he finally reaches his desk, running a hand over his face in an attempt to scrub away his distress.
“Hey Jinki,” Taemin sing songs, popping up in the man's work space with a child like grin.
Remaining unfazed, his normal reactions suppressed by his depression, Jinki barely lifts his eyes from the floor to register Taemin's presence. Crossing his arms and then resting his chin on top of them, Jinki leans on to his desk in a slump. The blond hovering above him frowns.
“C'mon, Jinki, don't be like this,” he chides, shaking the man's shoulder softly, “It's killing me, and everyone else, to see you like this.”
“Ermph.”
Chuckling into the back of his hand, Taemin peers down at Jinki curiously. “What was that?”
“I said I deserve it,” Jinki mumbles, only slightly clearer this time.
Taemin kneels down so that he can place comforting hands on Jinki's arm. “What do you mean?”
Jinki groans. “I deserve this. I'm so idiotic, the epitome of stupidity. My father must be turning over in his grave right now, he's so disappointed in my lack of any sense whatsoever.”
“Ermph” meant all of that? It must be a mess in Jinki's mind. Rocking on the balls of his feet, Taemin attempts to raise Jinki's spirits. “You'll be glad to know, Kibum is off on vacation in America!”
Jerking up right, Jinki looks down at Taemin, eyes hued red from lack of sleep. “Really?”
“Um, yeah.” Taemin raises an eyebrow, why does Jinki look disappointed by the news? Shouldn't he be excited to have some time off from the stifling tension being anywhere close to their boss caused? “You aren't … happy?”
Small pout remaining in place in his loquacious eyes, Jinki pushes the corner of his lips up in a sad try at a smile. “Of course I am. I mean, why wouldn't I?” He laughs awkwardly to himself before patting Taemin's hand. “Don't worry about me, Tae.”
“Who else will?” Taemin retorts while pushing back to his feet. “That's it, there's no argument - you are coming to the apartment and I'm going to make you the most delicious, heart warming dinner ever, you won't even have room to think about unfaithful pretty boys.”
Jinki blinks, speechless. There really is no room for disagreement with the doe eyed man. Taemin pats him on the head with a chirp of “Good” before skipping back to his desk, which Jinki is surprised to find unoccupied. Normally Minho thinks up the wildest excuses to have reason to hang around his boyfriend's desk.
But he can't focus on his friend's relationship issues, because his mind is on milky, warm skin soaking in a tropical sun while an ocean breeze drifts by.
“So after he tries to grab my ass I tell him, 'Look, if you come near me again I'll charge you for rape' and he says 'You can't rape the willing.' Like, what the hell? Why do American guys think they're so damn fine?”
The cool, crystal clear water laps at the white sand of the shore as a Hawaiian sun beats down on the trio spread out on the private piece of beach. Kibum ignores whatever it is Krystal is going on about, too focused on the wisps of air licking at his body, chilling him just enough to handle the intensity of the sun's rays on his skin as he lies, shirtless, tanning.
From beside him, about ready to fall out of her little string bikini, Sulli applies more sun block as to not have her snowy complexion ruined. “Aren't they? They think they can get any Asian girl they want - but their dicks aren't even that big.”
Krystal reaches across Kibum to slap Sulli's arm. “You are such a slut!”
“Yeah, and so are you,” Sulli retorts, tongue poking out of the side of her perfectly glossed lips, “You better respect your host. If it weren't for me your little ass would be stuck in a hotel with all of those horny guys.”
The two continue to bicker back and forth but it's lost to the brunette between them. Behind tinted glasses, Kibum's eyes are shut tight. His mind is on a bedroom in Seoul, where Jonghyun is no doubt spending his night with Kikwang. The receptionist had assured Kibum that he would look after Jonghyun in his absence - Kibum knew what looking after would consist of. So why wasn't he bothered? He could care less that Jonghyun was fucking Kikwang, all he did care about was if he would be able to keep it together while he was gone - if he would come back to a whole Jonghyun, not a shattered and torn skeleton of who the man had once been.
His vacation continued to be plagued with thoughts of the man, but his dreams were sprinkled with that of a different smile; fuller, with more expression laid out for the world to admire. Jinki. After everything Kibum had done to Jinki, he still had the nerve to dream about him.
“Oh wow, Sulli, Kibum hasn't bitched us out once,” Krystal says, pushing her way through his thoughts, “Something's really wrong.”
Sulli sits up on her elbows, peering over her sunglasses at the man beside her. “Are you really still on that guy of yours?”
Kibum keeps his eyes shut, but his lips tug downward long enough for the girls to catch the frown.
“Oh god, Kibum,” Sulli whines out his name, “You're so dramatic! Krystal, you know what this means.”
Cracking open an eye wide enough to catch the knowing smiles between the two, a shiver crawls up Kibum's spine, foreboding. This is not going to end well, anything involving Sulli and Krystal didn't end well.
The town is alight with the flicker of flames from torches to fit in with the islander décor. Even the sidewalks downtown are bamboo planks and the buildings have hut like facades. Kibum eyes the layout, like a classy tourist trap for the rich. He can't complain, as the atmosphere allows for bare feet, but he's also anxious stepping into the club - who knows whats on the floor in there. When they do enter the hub of activity that is the most high class club in the town, all eyes are on them. Kibum knows it's because of the two gorgeous, stunning girls at either of his arms.
Sulli holds an exotic beauty with a gradient purple flower tucked behind her ear, the stem weaved naturally into her soft braid tossed over her shoulder. An breath taking mesh of vivid, tropical colors and designs are on the silk sarong wrapped low on her hip and a white cotton halter top to match. Dressed similarly, only in darker, richer colors, Krystal holds a seductive air that is only emphasized by her temptress gaze.
The crowd parts to allow them access to the bar right away. Kibum can't even count the number of men, and even some women, eying Krystal and Sulli.
Two hours later and the number of hopefuls have doubled - or is that just his vision? Kibum has lost track of just how many drinks he's downed, but he isn't the least bit concerned. All of the normal tension coiled in his lithe frame have dissipated. His sharp eyes drift away from the questionable drink in front of him to a figure a few feet away. The man looks to be a local, sun kissed skin bared as he walks around shirtless, body toned in ways only hard work or an vast expanse of spare time allows for. What's most notable to Kibum are the alluring black eyes, round and affable behind stylish thin, black rimmed glasses.
Glasses.
With his styled hair and slightly boyish facial features, Kibum wonders if he's looking at a phantasm or a real man. So strikingly alike to someone else … Kibum sets his mind, despite how unsteadily due to his alcohol consumption, to getting this man.
And what Kim Kibum wants, he gets.
Dark wood flooring and soft, white carpeting and the wafting smell of home cooking from the open kitchen creates a cozy atmosphere. Toeing off his shoes at the door, the tension in Jinki's shoulder immediately eases as he takes in the warm apartment, a stark contrast to his own cold, lonely home.
“Sorry, he got so wrapped up in his music that he forgot to cook,” Minho explains while leading Jinki to the sitting room, “Dinner should be done in not too long.”
Gaze falling to the glass doors on the opposite wall, that in the summertime would lead to an open, airy balcony, but now just served as a window to the winter wonderland outside. Large flakes of snow fell on the city, blanketing it, and causing the inside of any home to feel just that much warmer when a significant other would curl up beside - well, not beside Jinki.
He shakes himself from his self centered, angsting thoughts, sick of himself. Just as he does, Jinki catches the desperate eyes Minho sends towards the kitchen.
“Minho?”
Brows furrowed, Minho strains to pull his attention away from the slim man with his back turned towards him to the face of his troubled friend.
“Not that it's any of my business,” Jinki starts, eyes darting between Minho and Taemin, “But is something going on between you two?”
Leaning back on the plush cushions of his seat, Minho brings up a hand to massage his temples. “He found out about the money issue.”
Jinki's lips form a small 'o' in understanding.
There's no time for a more in depth explanation. Taemin bustles into the sitting room to announce that dinner is nearly ready so they'd better set the table. Jinki does notice that the blond keeps his focus completely on him, ignoring Minho all together.
When they sit down and begin digging in to the meal, Jinki wishes for the return of the serene atmosphere from before. Waves of hostility are rolling off of Taemin like a typhoon as he passes the dishes along to Jinki only. Jinki's gaze shifts from him to the tall man across the table, where Minho looks like a kicked puppy.
“So,” Taemin cuts through the silence brightly, “Did you know about it, Jinki?”
Jinki nearly chokes on his mouthful of kimchi. Coughing and forcefully swallowing, Jinki blinks at the innocent faced man. “Know about what?”
“The huge debt Minho was hiding from me.”
“Taemin! Not now, please.”
“Oh, I'm sorry - children are meant to be seen, not heard, right?”
“Tae - “
“No! I won't be quiet! I'm tired of you treating me like a child - have you forgotten everything we've been through together? What we've done for each other? I think it took more than a child to face my parents, to tell them I had a boyfriend even though I knew they would kick me out for it.”
The two men stare each other down while Jinki ponders the possibility of sinking through the floorboards. Taemin's mouth is set in a straight line as he glares at his boyfriend, refusing to give in to the large, pleading eyes boring in to him.
“I didn't hide it from you because I thought you were a child,” Minho says softly.
Taemin's gaze narrows. “Than why did you?”
“Because, Tae, I love you. I want to give you the world, but I forgot I have limitations. I didn't want you to find out I had made a mistake like that.”
Those words are all Taemin needed. His icy expression melts into a stunning smile. “Really?”
Minho reaches across the table to take Taemin's hand in his own. “Yes, really.”
Jinki wonders if they have completely forgotten about him, but Minho quickly sits back in his chair and clears hi throat before muttering an apology in his direction. Jinki can't help but laugh as a blush settles over the couples faces after the grand display. It doesn't ring with his familiar lilt, falling flat and lifeless on the dark stained table.
Jinki resists the urge to sigh.
Only the glow of the television lights the extravagant bed room, casting eery shadows as the evening news hums. beneath a sea of silk sheets and down filled comforters at the center of the room, four post bed situated on a raised platform, Kikwang burrows in to the warm mass of covers. Needy hands tug at him, but he simply swats them away.
“Why are you being such a prick?” Jonghyun grumbles, finally scooting over to his own side of the bed in defeat.
Kikwang frowns into the darkness. “I'm just … thinking.”
“Oh god, not again. Last time you were 'thinking' your grandmother ended up at your apartment. Who do you want to take in this time?”
Blinking, Kikwang turns towards the source of the words. “Wait, you remember that?” Jonghyun rolls his eyes at him in a 'duh' manner. “Jonghyun, don't you ever … well, consider … us?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” The man asks tiredly, rubbing at his eyes.
“You and me, we could be something.”
“Something?”
“I mean, something more than … this.”
Curling his arm under his pillow and flopping onto his other side, Jonghyun averts his attention to the flat screen mounted on the wall. “Just go to sleep, Kikwang.”
“Jjong - “
In a flurry of motion, Jonghyun is out of the bed and in his robe. Hard eyes don't even bother to look at Kikwang as Jonghyun disappears into his adjoining study, slamming the door shut behind him. Kikwang sinks into the mattress and curls in to himself, seeking any sort of comfort to stop the gaping hole in his chest from ripping open any wider.
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A/N:
/bows I'm very sorry for keeping my readers waiting - here's what you get, only partcially editted. Please let me know of any mistakes! I just want to get this out for all of you now.
Thank you. <3
Picture credit to ricky49 @ deviatart.com.